[Penguins/ Photo Credit to Pexels]

In early 2023, scientists from the University of Helsinki conducted research in Antarctica and discovered that penguin poop releases gases that help form cooling clouds.

Antarctic penguins' waste, known as guano, emits a strong odor due to ammonia released into the atmosphere as food particles break down. 

Once it is in the air, it gets mixed with other gases and forms particles called aerosols, and water vapor gets stuck on to these particles, which also gets turned into clouds. 

These clouds block or reflect sunlight, helping keep the ground cooler.

This shows that penguin waste plays an important role in protecting the planet from climate change.

Another helpful fact is that penguins live in large groups and huddle together to share body heat.

Larger groups produce more waste, and more waste means more ammonia, which helps cool the continent further.

Scientists from the University of Helsinki in Finland wanted to find out if penguin poop actually helps form clouds and cool the earth. 

The scientists set up a research lab at the Marambio Base on the Antarctic Peninsula. 

From January to March of 2023, the team used tools and different technologies to see how the clouds and poop help the cooling of the continent. 

They chose to research from January to March because it is when the penguin colonies are the most active and abundant, which gives us maximum ammonia emissions.

They observed from the air to find a colony of about 60,000 Adelie penguins.

The scientists discovered that when the wind blew from the direction of the penguin colony, ammonia levels near the base jumped.

They have reached levels up to 1,000 times higher than the normal range.

Even after weeks and after the penguins had moved elsewhere, ammonia levels remained about 100 times higher than the normal range. 

The team also noticed that there was some fog after the hours of ammonia had hit, they believe that it was because there were more aerosol particles in the air.

Many others have wondered why scientists don’t just use these penguin-made clouds for the whole earth?

This is because scientists believe the cooling effect depends on where and when the clouds form.

For example, if the clouds formed over snow and ice, they usually reflect sunlight, making the ground cooler. over darker surfaces like forests, they might trap heat, making the ground warmer. 

These effects would be very important to know to understand Antartica’s future. 

This team published their research in a journal called “Communications Earth & Environment" on May 22, 2025.

The findings demonstrate how even a small creature can affect the atmosphere of a whole continent.

It also explains that Antarctica’s environment is very delicate, and if penguins ever became extinct, the clouds they help create could disappear as well.

Protecting penguins is not only about saving a species, but also about keeping the planet healthy.